The present invention relates generally to personal security devices and, more particularly, to a personal security alarm system to deter and prevent purse snatching.
Purse snatching is an age old criminal activity which can occur in many different ways and in many different situations. However, a similarity found in purse snatching is that the thief attempts to surprise the victim, grab the purse, and escape while the victim remains startled. The speed with which a purse snatching occurs makes personal defense products, such as pepper spray or an electrical stun gun, of little effect.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a personal security alarm system that enables a user to sound an alarm either automatically or at the user""s direction. Further, it is desirable to have a personal security alarm system in which an alarm may be activated at the purse to which it is attached or from a remote location. In addition, it would be desirable to have an alarm system coupled to a purse that can automatically lock the purse immediately upon theft of the purse or at the user""s direction. It would also be desirable if the alarm activation transmitter could be worn by the user as jewelry.
A personal security alarm system according to the present invention includes a transmission housing and an alarm housing. The transmission housing may include a chain or strap such that it may be worn by a user as a necklace. The transmission housing includes a transmitter and first and second control buttons electrically connected to the transmitter. A first control button causes the transmitter to constantly send range signals into the ambient air. The second control button causes the transmitter to send an alarm signal that is different than the range signals. The alarm housing includes a central processing unit (xe2x80x9cCPUxe2x80x9d), a receiver, an alarm, and a mode switch. The configuration of the mode switch causes the CPU to initiate a corresponding set of program instructions. When set at an automatic mode, the CPU energizes the alarm if expected range signals are not received by the receiver. This indicates that the alarm housing has been moved a predetermined distance away from the transmission housing, i.e. during a purse snatching. In the alarm mode, the CPU immediately energizes the alarm if the receiver receives an alarm signal from the transmitter.
The alarm housing may be releasably coupled to a purse having a quick-connect assembly. The purse includes an electromechanical locking mechanism for locking the purse in a closed configuration. When the alarm housing is attached to the purse, the CPU may energize the electromechanical locking mechanism to lock the purse in response to a sensed theft event or at the direction of the user.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a personal security alarm system which activates an alarm when a purse has been stolen.
Another object of this invention is to provide an alarm system, as aforesaid, which may be configured to activate the alarm when the purse and transmitter are more than a predetermined distance from one another.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an alarm system, as aforesaid, which may be configured to activate the alarm immediately either remotely or at the alarm housing by a user.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an alarm system, as aforesaid, which includes a purse to which the alarm housing may be coupled.
A further object of this invention is to provide an alarm system, as aforesaid, in which the purse includes an electromagnetic locking mechanism that may be activated by a CPU within the alarm housing in response to sensing a theft event or at the user""s direction.